Mount Eden – Pinot Noir – 1991

From the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, also home to Ridge Vineyards and their famous Monte Bello. Mount Eden was founded in 1945, and the vineyards – and some very old vines – date back to then.

Faded, bricked at the rim. “Very Burgundian,” comes a chorus from the table – but if so, very much from the more aromatic, less gamey school. Quite a light bouquet, with sweet, slightly faded fruit – plums. A little earthy, a little stony. Very smooth on the palate. I can’t help but feel that the fruit has a residual warmth more typical of New World wines than Burgundy. To be honest, I found this smooth but rather lacking in interesting secondaries.